Foldable closure for pianos



F. M. SEUTERMAN.

FOLDABLE CLOSURE FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.`31. 1919.

1,407,007, Peeented Feb. 21, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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F. M. STEUTERMAN.

FOLDABLE cLosuRE FOR MANOS.

APPLICATION FILED JMLSI. |919.

1,407,007, Patented Feb. 2l, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN-3l, |919.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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' FRANK M. STEUTERMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDABLEVCLOSURE FOR PIANOS;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

Application led January 31, 1919. Serial No. 274,174.

To all 'whom t maf/y concern.'

Beit known that I, FRANK M, STEUTER- MAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in' Foldable Closures for Pianos, of which the following. is aspecification.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a foldableclosure for pianos, which when ,serving as a closure for a piano, the walls" thereof will be adapted to reinforce each: other. n

Another .objzectfof this invention is to provide improved locking vmeansyfor the vfoldable walls of this improved vpiano closure.

A .further object of' this'invention is to provide an improved foldable piano closure of such a construction whereby the piano can be rolled into the closure after which the pianocan .be secured to one of the vwalls of the closure. i v

Other and ,furtherobjects will appear in the specification and be specilically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifyingthe invention, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved foldable piano closure.

F igureQ is a rear view of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 isa vertical section taken approX-imately on the line III- III of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 3vshowing the locking members forsecuring4 some ofthe walls to one another.

Figurev 5 is a longitudinal section taken on.

Figure 6 is an end view showing this improved closure laid on its bac/lr ready for folding into a collapsed position.

Figure 7 is an end view Vshowing the closure in av folded or collapsed position.

Figure S is a plan view of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 6.

Figure 1() is an enlar ed-fragmentary sectiontaken on the line -.Xof- Fig-.1.

Figure 11 is'an enlarged fragmentary sectiontaken on the line XI-Xlof Fig. 1.

Figure 12 is anenlarged fragmentary section=taken on the line XII- XII of Fig. 1.

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectionrtaken on the line'XIII-XIII ofFig. 8 showinga form of lockingv member for lockingthe folded wallsof the closure in their collapsed positions.

' Figure '14 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings this improved closure comprises a bottom 1, rear wall'y 2, top wall 3, front walls 4 and 5 and a pair of end walls 6; The rear wall- 2 is hinged tothe bottom 1 by the hinges 7 each ofs'aid hinges being secured to' the metallic straps 8 which are secured-to said bottom l. Secured to each of thepmetallic straps 9k which are carried by the front wall 5' is a hinge 10,. each of said hinges being swngin'gly con'- nected to each of the straps 8 whiclrare carried by the bottomr 1. Secured to the rear wall 2 are a pair of metallic straps 1li, each end of each of said straps having a right angular bent portion, the lowergends of said right angular `bent portions being secured to the hinges 7, whereas the upper( ends of said right angular bent portionsl terminate into hinges 12.

Secured to thevtopwall 3 arel a pairfof l straps 13', one end of each o'fsaid strap's'bel ing connected to a hinge 12. Formed on theI opposite ends of. each of said straps 13 is a hinge 14, each of said hinges being connected te a strap. 15, a pair of which are carried by the front wall 4. Formed in the upper end of each of the straps 9 that are carried by the front Wall 5 is an opening 16, each of said openings being for the receptiono'f' a dowel vpin 17 each of said dowel pins being secured to one end of each of the strapsv 15 that are carried by the front wall 4;..

.Extending from each of the metallic straps 11 of the rear wall 2 are a pair of right angled portions 34, VeachV portion 34 having a hinge 35 formed thereon. Secured to each of the side walls 6 area pair of metallic straps 36, each pair of said straps of each wall 6 being connected at one end to a pair of the hinges35, the opposite ends of each of said straps being bent as shown at 37v in Fig. 10. Formedl in each of the bent portions 37 is an opening` 38. Secured to each ofthe walls l and 5 are a pair of dowel pins39, said pins 39 of the door 4 being `adapted to engage theV openings 38 of the upper straps 36fof the end walls 6, whereas the dowel pins 39 of the wall 'are adapted to engage theopenings 38 of the each of said lockingrnembers 18.be ingadapti-y ed to engage an eye 21, there being a pair of said eyes carried by the bottom 1. Carried by the front wall 5 adjacent the upper end thereof are a pair of eyes 22, each of said eyes being for the reception of the hook portions of each of the members 19.

Carried by the top wall 3 adjacent the front end thereof are a pair of eyes 23, each of said eyes being adapted to be engaged by each of the locking members 20.

Vhen it is desired to mount a piano in this improved closure the folding parts` thereof are mounted in piano box formation as shown, and as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the front portion 5 is swung downwardly until it rests horizontally on the licor and the inclined or sloping front wall 4 is swung upwardly. The piano is then pushed rearwardly onto the horizontally arranged front wall 5 and into the closure unt-il the rear wall of the piano abuts the rear wall 2. A lag screw 24 is then introduced into each of the openings 25 which are formed in the metallic straps 11 of the rear wall 2 said lag screws then being screwed tightly into the rear portions 26 of the piano 27. The front wall 5 is elevated after which the front wall 4 is lowered. The dowel pins 17 which are carried by the straps 15 of said front wall 4 will engage their respective openings 16 which are formed in the upper ends of the straps 9 of the front wall 5.

In order to provide for the locking of the front walls 4 and 5, an engaging portion 28 is formed adjacent one end of the reinforcing strap 29, which is carried by the wall 5. This engaging portion 28, which has an opening 30 formed therein is adapted to be engaged through the elongated opening 31 which is formed in the lower end of the reinforcing strap 32 which is secured to and carried by the wall 4. A locking member 33 which is also carried by the reinforcing strap 32 is adapted to engage the opening 30 of the engaging portion 28. Y

lVhen the front walls 4 and 5 were moved to their closed position the dowel ins 39 carried thereby are introduced into teir respective openings 38 of the straps 36 of the end walls 6, said dowel pins serving to reinforce and hold said end walls in their vertieally arranged positions. Secured to the end edges of each of the walls 1,.` 3, 4 and 5 are pairs of angle irons 40, 41, 42 and 43 respectively. These angle irons when the closure is mountedin box formation will enj gage against the edges of the end walls 6,

thereby serving as further reinforcements to said end walls, and preventing them from being pushed outwardly.

When it is desired to fold this improved closure after the piano has been removed therefrom,the closure is laid on its back or rear wall 2, as shown in Fig. 6. Theywalls 4 and 5 are then elevated, as shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 6, and the dowel pins carried by Said walls will be removed from their respective engaging openings. The end walls 6 are then folded into a horizontal position on top of the rear wall 2, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Then the front wall 4 was elevated it was placed in alinement with the top wall 3, said walls are then folded in their alining positions on top of the folded end walls 6, in which position they will be horizontally arranged. The front wall 5, which is elevated to a vertical alining position with the bottom 1 is then swung downwardly along with said bottom, and are adapted to lie horizontally over the walls 3 and 4.

In order to lock the walls in their folded positions, a locking member, such as 44 having an engaging portion 45, is adapted to engage an opening 46 which is formed 1n the strap 47 which is carried by the top wall 3.

Before the folding operation has been carried out as just related, it 1s of course essential to disengage the locking members 18, 19 and 20 which are carried by the end walls 6 from their respective eyes 21, 22 and 23. y

In a foldable closure of this character it is readily seen how this improved closure can be used indefinitely for the transporting of pianos in which a great saving in packing will be made, as it is well known that the present type of piano boXes are generally discarded after they have reached their first destination. y

Formed on the reinforcing strap 32 of the front wall 4 is an upturned ear 48 having an opening 49, said ear being located adj acent the handle 50 of the locking member 33. Formed in said handle 50 is an opening 51. As shown in Fig. 1 when the locking member 33 is in locking position relative to the engaging portion 28, the handle 50 thereof will Vbe placed in an abutting position relative to the ear 48. In this position. the openings 51 and 49 of said handle and ear respectively will be in alinement and will be in a receptive position to receive the flexible strap 52 of a seal 53. `After the seal has been properly attached to the ear 48 and handle 50 it is quite evident that the locking member cannot become disengaged from a locking position without the breaking of the seal.`

What I claim is: Y

1. A foldable piano closure comprising a rear wall, a pair of end walls swingingly connected tosaidvrear wall, a foldableupperfront wall, a top wall swingingly secured to cured to each other' adapted to hold said other Walls in their assembled positions, said rear Wall adapted to serve as a base to said other walls when saidwalls are in folded positions, said looking member of said lo-Wer front Wall providing means `for holdingall of said walls together in their folded positions.

2. A liolda-ble piano closure Comprising a rear Wall, a pair of end walls swingingly eon nected to said rear wall, a foldable upper front Wall, a top Wall swingingly secured to said rear wall and said front Wall, a foldable lower front Wall, a bottom Wall swingingly secured to said rear Wall and said lower front Wall, a locking member earried by said lower front Wall, and means for securing said front Walls together, said front Walls when secured to each other adopted to hold said other Walls in their assembled positions, said rear Wall adapted to serve as a base to said end Walls when said end Walls are arranged horizontally thereon, said top Wall and said upper front wall adapted to be horizontally arranged on said end Walls, said lower front Wall and said bottom Wall adapted to be horizontally arranged on said top Wall and said upper front Wall, said locking member of said lower front wall adapted to engage said top wall, thereby holding all of said Walls together in their folded positions.

FRANK M. STEUTERMAN. 

